Locking brace for folding table legs



Oct. 31, 1933. G. J. coRPoRoN LOCKING BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS Filed May 5, 1951 Patented Oct. 31A, 1933 n UNITED STATESV LOCKING BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLE LEGS George J. Corporon, Hooksett, N. H.

Application May 5, 1931. Serial No. 535,243

3 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a device adaptable as a means for securing to a card table or the like the several legs, so that the latter may be readily foldedup against the underside of the table top, or extended into supporting position and positively locked in such supporting position; to provide a device of this character including a brace member by which the locking is secured and which may be disengaged from such locked position by lateral pressure alone; to provide for making the brace member spring actuated, so that when the leg is extended to supporting position, the locking operation of the brace member may be accomplished automatically; and to provide a construction of this character which is of simple form and therefore susceptible of cheap manufacture and low marketing cost.

. With this object in view, the invention con- 'sists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly .in elevation of a corner of a card table showing the invention applied and with the leg in folded position.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure l but showing the leg in extended position.

Figure 3 is a plan view, partly broken away,

'of the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan View, partly broken away, of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan View of amodied form .Dpi the invention with the attached table leg gg'shown in folded position.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the leg 10 has a pivotal mounting 11 at the corner deiined by the' short and long arms 14 y., .j -of the bracket plate, the short arm carrying an o'iear 15 between Which and the longer arm 14 the leg l0 is mounted, the pivotal'connection 11 consisting of a pintle spanning the arm and the ear and passing through the leg. The angular `bracket plate comprising the arms 12 and 14 l5"'is secured, by appropriate fasteners' to the molding 16 forming the bounding means of the table top and the longer arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 17 terminating in a round .opening 18. The leg 10 has connected therewith `5`0"`a brace member 19 pivotally secured thereto by means of a pintle 20, a friction washer 21 being interposed between the brace member and the leg td act as a spacer between the two. The

.ff #brace member is also connected with the longer arm 14 of the bracket plate by means of a stud 22, the stud traversing the slot 17 in the movement of the leg from folded to extended positions and vice Versa. The stud carries a head 23 on the opposite side of the arm 14 from the brace and this head is in contact lwith a flat spring 24 secured on the outer face of the arm 14 and bearing against theV inner face of thek head. The spring thus tends, by pressure on the inner face of the head to move the adjacent end of the brace member towards the inner fac-e of the arm of the bracket plate.

To provide clearance space for the spring 24 and the head of the stud 22, the molding 16 is recessed as indicated at 25.

Adjacent the stud 22, the brace member is-also provided with a short headless stud 26 which, in the extended position of the leg 10, enters a hole 27 in the longer arm of the bracket plate, this hole 27 being disposed adjacent the inner end of the slot 17.

In operation, when the table leg 10 is in folded position, it and the brace 19 and arm 14 are in substantially parallel relation and the spring 24, bearing against the inner face of the head 23, forces the end of the stud 26 into contact with the adjacent face of the arm 14, this providing suiiicient frictional resistance, together with the friction of the pivot of the leg 10 and the pivot of the brace 19, to eiectively hold the leg folded. In moving the leg to extended position, this is accomplished by merely swinging thev leg outwardly, the end of the stud 26 the while, sliding along the adjacent face of the arm 14 until, when the leg has reached its right angular position, the stud 26 enters the hole 27 by reason of the action of the spring 24. The brace member then, by reason of the engagement of the stud 26 in the hole 27 positively retains the leg in extended position until, when it is desired to fold the` same, sufficient lateral pressure is brought to bear on the brace 19 to disengage the stud 26, when the leg may be folded up.

In the modification shown in Figure 5, the spring 24 is omitted. The brace member 19a, in this form, is arranged to yieldingly bear against the arm 14, so as to have a spring tendency to engage the stud 26 with its locking hole when the leg is extended. In releasing the leg to fold, the brace member 19 is deilected away from the arm 14 against this spring tendency.

The enlargement or opening at the end of the slot 17 constitutes a clearance opening for the head 23 of the stud 22, so that in the assembling operating, the stud may be attached to the lit brace'member prior to the latters connection with the arm of the bracket plate.

It will be understood that the appropriate fasteners herein mentioned may comprise an integral ear stamped and bent from the bracket plate and secured by a screw to the molding 16.

The invention having been described what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A locking brace for folding table legs comprising a bracket member and means for pivotally or foldingly mounting the leg, a brace member for pivotal connection with the leg and having a sliding guiding engagement with the bracket member consisting of a stud on the brace member traversing a longitudinal slot formed in the bracket member, and cooperating locking means independent of the sliding connection be" ing a sliding guiding connection with the bracket member consisting of a stud on the headed brace member traversing a longitudinal slot in the bracket member, locking means independent of the sliding connection between the brace and bracket members for locking the brace and bracket member in one position of the leg and consisting of a headless stud on one engageable in a hole in the other,- and a spring member yieldingly impelling the brace member laterally to engage said stud in said hole.

v3. A locking brace for folding table legs comprising a bracket member and means for pivotally or foldingly mounting the leg, a brace member for pivotal connection With the leg, the bracket memberhaving a longitudinal slot and the brace member having a headed stud slidingly engaged in said slot, a spring carried by the bracket member and frictionally engaged with the head of said stud, and a second stud carried by the brace member and engageable in a hole in the bracket member in one position of the leg, said spring applying yielding lateral pressure tothe brace-member to keep the second stud in frictional Contact with the bracket member and to engage it with the hole in the latter.

GEORGE J. rCORPORON. 

